Chapter 43: Painting Yun

"Forget it, let's head back."

Her purpose for coming to the Guard Hall today had been achieved, so there was no need to continue staying here.

Because there was still plenty of time, on the way back, Yun Mu did not take a Steam Taxi, but chose to walk instead.

When she returned to Sisilaiya Cafe, she happened to run into Lita, who had just returned from exercising.

Lita was currently wearing a loose short-sleeved shirt with a navy blue wool coat over it.

Her face was slightly flushed from just finishing her workout, and pale white mist was radiating from the top of her head, with strands of crystalline sweat dripping from her hair tips onto her fair collarbone.

"Good afternoon," Yun Mu greeted Lita.

"Good afternoon!" Lita responded.

The two walked into the cafe side by side.

The cafe was as quiet as usual, with only Edward lying on the seat behind the bar, holding a newspaper in his hand and clicking his tongue in wonder at the detective novel being serialized on it.

There was still some time before lunch, so Lita found a seat in the shop and sat down, winking at Yun Mu to signal her to come over as well.

"Is something the matter?"

Yun Mu did not know what she wanted to do, but she still sat down opposite her and asked.

"Ahem."

Lita did not speak, but just coughed twice and tapped the tabletop with her finger, making a 'thump-thump' sound.

Edward, sitting behind the bar, immediately put down his newspaper upon hearing the sound, stood up, and walked over toward them.

"My two lovely ladies, would you like to order something?" he said in a 'gentle' tone.

"Hmm~ let me think."

Lita did not pay any attention to Edward's tone; she looked up and pointed at the menu on the table.

"We'll have two cups of black tea, two blueberry milkshakes, and a deluxe cream cake."

"You really know how to order people around."

Although Edward said this, he still turned and walked toward the kitchen.

"Just wait," he said.

"Hehe." After Edward left, Lita made a 'V' sign at Yun Mu.

"Is this really okay?" Yun Mu said, looking at the scene before her with some embarrassment.

"It's fine, I'll pay for it."

Lita rested her cheeks on her hands, her long legs swinging restlessly under the table.

She watched Yun Mu with a smile on her face, which made her feel a bit self-conscious.

Fortunately, Edward returned soon after.

He placed two steaming cups of black tea on the table, then set down two cold blueberry milkshakes, each decorated with a cherry on top.

"The cake will take a while longer."

"That will be one Gold Frost and fifteen Silver Frosts in total."

Edward said.

Because she had helped out in the shop that morning, Yun Mu was not surprised by the price.

As far as she knew, the price of a cup of black tea in Sisilaiya Cafe was two Silver Frosts, while a milkshake was three Silver Frosts.

The truly expensive item was the deluxe cream cake, which cost a full thirty Silver Frosts—that is, one Gold Frost and ten Silver Frosts!

"How much is the monthly salary for a member of the Supernatural Guard Reserve?"

Yun Mu looked at Lita and couldn't help but ask.

"Thirty-five Gold Frosts~" the other replied.

A salary within expectations.

Yun Mu raised an eyebrow.

After all, Sixin had told her before that in the departments at the Guard Hall related to supernatural incidents, even ordinary clerical staff earned fifteen Gold Frosts a month.

After becoming an official Transcendental, it was fifty a month.

As a reserve member about to advance to a Transcendental, thirty-five Gold Frosts a month was quite reasonable.

While thinking about these things, Yun Mu sipped the black tea and the blueberry milkshake.

The flavors of these two drinks, one hot and one cold, were a bit strange when mixed together; although not exactly unpleasant, she still couldn't figure out why Lita wanted to order both.

Perhaps it was some special dietary habit.

Before long, Edward walked over carrying a huge cream cake.

"Eating so much, be careful not to have an appetite for lunch later," Edward said as he set the cake down.

"I won't."

"I have a feeling I'll be able to advance soon, so even eating this much isn't excessive!"

Lita cut the cake into two portions and handed one to Yun Mu.

"Of course, if Miss Yun can't finish it, you can eat a little less," she said.

"I should be fine," Yun Mu smiled awkwardly.

She had already been a Transcendental for two days; was this something she could say out loud?

"As long as you know what you're doing."

Edward glanced at Lita and turned to walk toward the kitchen.

It was about time, and he needed to prepare lunch.

Lunch was white mushroom soup, plus stir-fried frost noodles, and two slices of toast spread with margarine.

It was unclear whether Edward had done it on purpose or by accident, but he had made a very large portion for lunch.

Yun Mu managed to finish eating, but Lita...

After persisting for a good while, she ultimately had a slice of bread left, as well as the white mushroom soup which no longer had any white mushrooms in it.

"Why did you eat more than me?" Lita looked at Yun Mu with an incredulous expression.

"I don't know~"

Yun Mu selectively chose to play dumb.

After finishing lunch, she returned to her room and took out the various painting supplies she had purchased earlier, one by one.

She intended to take advantage of the rare free time to practice the 【Spiritual Painting】 skill.

"Hmm, what should I paint?"

After thinking for a moment, she channeled her Spirituality to the tip of her pen and used a pencil to outline the shape of a cloud on the paper.

She didn't know what painting a cloud would be good for, but since it was just practice, she would just try it out.

After about five minutes, a detailed cloud was finished.

The Spirituality Yun Mu injected into the painting began to rise, then actively resonated with the Ether in the air.

Before long, the painting before her eyes suddenly became somewhat ethereal, as if it had truly turned into a cloud, ready to dissipate with a gentle wave.

【Painting: Cloud (White)】

【Drawing/Cloud/Illusion】

【Skill: Ethereal Mist】

【Ranged/All Units/Spell Strength】

【Range 8】

【Base Precision 110/Damage Modifier -100%/Obscure Vision 110%】

【Obscure Vision: Dodge -10, Precision Correction -5, Skill Precision -20】

【Uses 1/1.】

【Validity: 29 minutes 55 seconds.】

【A painting created by 【Painter Apprentice】 Yun Mu using the 【Spiritual Painting】 skill. After one use, or after being stored for half an hour, the Spirituality attached to the painting will dissipate.】

"Isn't this just a neutered version of 【Painting: Falling】?"

Yun Mu looked at the painting in front of her with a look of disdain.

"Let's paint another one," she thought.

Putting away 【Painting: Cloud】, this time, Yun Mu intended to paint something related to supernatural elements.

"I'll just paint a magic circle."

Although she didn't know what a magic circle looked like, it didn't matter; as long as she believed she was painting a magic circle, that was enough.

Yun Mu first drew a circle, then drew a bunch of flashy geometric patterns inside it.

Since it was a magic circle, it should have a corresponding magic effect, right?

I'll just draw a big fireball on it, she thought.

This painting took a full twenty minutes, directly exhausting the meager amount of Spirituality in Yun Mu's brain completely.

Her brain throbbed with pain due to the excessive consumption of Spirituality, yet Yun Mu still felt like something was missing.

She looked at the magic circle on the painting, and the fireball hovering above the magic circle.

"Got it!"

She thought of something, channeled her last bit of Spirituality, and lifted her pen to write the Chinese character 'Fire' in the very center of the magic circle.

In an instant, massive amounts of Spirituality surged out, and the Ether in the space around Yun Mu vibrated violently.

This painting had actually actively triggered an Ether Resonance!

PS: I have modified the attributes of 【Painting: Falling】; the following is the new attribute description.

——

【Painting: Falling (Blue)】

【Spell Strength +10】

【Oil Painting/Fallen/Darkness/Young Girl/Scarlet】

【Skill: Black Fog】

【Ranged/All Units/Spell Strength】

【Range 8】

【Base Precision 300/Damage Modifier -100%/Perception Shielding 220%】

【Perception Shielding: Dodge -50, Precision Correction -30, Skill Precision -60】

【A work created by Painter Yun Mu after a burst of inspiration. After activating the Spirituality hidden within the painting, it became a Supernatural Item.】

(End of chapter)